Blog
Top Tips For Downsizing to a Flat

Top Tips For Downsizing to a Flat


Placeholder image

Driver Dan

Tuesday 1st November, 2022


When it comes to downsizing to a flat, it’s important to understand that there are quite a few things to keep in mind. The process of downsizing is often quite tricky, but at the same time, it’s also important to acknowledge that there are things you can do to make it a lot easier.

To try and help you make the best possible decisions, we’ve collected a few pieces of information about downsizing and put together a guide.

Minimalism and Clearing Out

The first and most important thing to think about when it comes to downsizing to a flat is whether or not, you actually need to keep all the things that you own. Lots of us accumulate stuff that we don’t use, it’s left in the back of the cupboard for years, and then, when it actually comes time to move house, we find that we dig up stuff we haven’t seen for the better part of a decade. If this happens, then it’s about time that you think about throwing it away or giving it a brand-new home. Having less to move also helps make things cheaper when finding a local removal company!

Lots of people turn to minimalism as a practice because it is very easy to adopt and put an emphasis on a few belongings. Minimalism broadly translates to only keeping things that enrich your life, so a lot of extraneous items often find themselves given way or thrown away. It’s a good trick for downsizing at any rate.

Plan Carefully

When it comes to downsizing, one of the best things that you can do is plan carefully how you’re going to do things. Visit the flat quite a few times and take measurements about the kind of things that you see. Make a note of the available space, and work out where you’re going to put things when you move.

Thankfully, there are a good collection of both short and long-term storage solutions available out there, and it’s easy to find one that works for you. The best thing that you can do is to take a look at all of the different options that are available when it comes to storage, and then use those to get the best results.

Storage (External)

For some people, downsizing to a flat is not a permanent move. Many people upgrade to a smaller flat whilst they are waiting to move house, or simply because they are in between living arrangements. If this is the case, and you don’t want to get rid of some of your stuff, you might want to consider putting some of it into storage for a few months.

London has a lot of slang terms that are used freely by the general public, and these can be very confusing if you’re not familiar with them. It’s worth taking a quick Google to try and find out some of the common ones, and if you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to ask somebody, most people are polite and helpful.

Stairs

Downsizing in any property is a delicate balancing act, and the best thing that you can do is to make sure you have considered. How are you going to move everything into your new home? Think about the flat in question, and whether or not it’s up several flights of stairs. If it is, then you are definitely going to need a removal company to help you do things. Alternatively, there may be a few items that you can move yourself.

Removal Companies

When it comes to downsizing to a flat, it’s important to consider that you do need to explore removal companies. Removal companies are a great tool that you can use to effectively move all of your belongings all at once, but you need to look around for the right company.

Don’t be afraid to shop around and get quotes from each of the individual moving companies that are available to figure out what will be best for you. Most will be more than happy to give you a no obligation quote to help you make a decision.

New Purchases

Downsizing to a flat often means that you have to make a few new purchases. This is a pretty normal part of moving into a flat, but it does have a big impact on the way that you do things. You need to think about the kind of big purchases that you will need to make, and how this will be affected by the resources that you have available and the space that is now present.

For example, you may want to think about condensing your fridge and freezer into a single unit, or sacrificing your dishwasher. It’s all about using the space that you have available to the best of your ability, and in some cases, this means making brand-new purchases.

Pets?

Owning a pet complicates the moving process significantly, so you need to work out whether or not your pet will be allowed in the new flat, and where you’re going to put them whilst you are moving. In most cases, the smartest decision you can make is just leaving your pets with a friend or relative for the day while you move in and removing them from the equation.

Final Thoughts

So, when it comes to trying to downsize to a flat, there are definitely a few considerations. It’s important to make sure that you do this in the right way, because otherwise, it can be a very stressful process.

Downsizing is often a good way to save money and enjoy a brand-new space, but it does mean you have to be a little bit sensible with how you make decisions. At the end of the day, you have to try and prioritise getting as much space as possible, which means that it’s easy to pick and choose the best results.

Ultimately, with enough planning and preparation, downsizing to a flat is quite easy. It’s the best way to get the ideal results, and you can very easily experiment with different options to figure out what works best for you.

Get new posts by email:
Man and Van Reviews

Excellent

5 star trustpilot
Rated 4.8 / 5 Based on 2141 reviews
5 star trustpilot
2 hours ago
Firstly the website is very easy to navigate. After filling in a few simple questions about you move, and youve paid your deposit,you are booked in to the system. You are given an email and text with your booking details to check over. Though you won't be matched up with your actual movers until 48 hours before your move, the communication is excellent with details of exactly what you need to do. Once you have been assigned your movers, you are advised to contact them at least 24 hours to confirm the booking. By this point you will have been asked to fill in an estimate through the website of what exactly needs moving. On the big day, James and Rob turned up right when they were supposed to and moved me in with record timing. All in all it was a great experience that helped relieve some of the stress of moving.
Helen Charlie Nellist
5 star trustpilot
16 hours ago
It delivered as promised
Dr Bips
5 star trustpilot
23 hours ago
Ryan and the two guys with him were great. They were really good with my elderly relative who was a bit nervous about moving his items into storage, taking time to chat with him. They were helpful and friendly with lots of good humour. Would definitely use them again.
Jo Hewitt
5 star trustpilot
2 hours ago
Firstly the website is very easy to navigate. After filling in a few simple questions about you move, and youve paid your deposit,you are booked in to the system. You are given an email and text with your booking details to check over. Though you won't be matched up with your actual movers until 48 hours before your move, the communication is excellent with details of exactly what you need to do. Once you have been assigned your movers, you are advised to contact them at least 24 hours to confirm the booking. By this point you will have been asked to fill in an estimate through the website of what exactly needs moving. On the big day, James and Rob turned up right when they were supposed to and moved me in with record timing. All in all it was a great experience that helped relieve some of the stress of moving.
Helen Charlie Nellist
5 star trustpilot
1 day ago
Same-day booking for moving items from a trade show, easy to confirm. Good communication from the team ahead of the move, very smooth experience.
Maria
5 star trustpilot
1 day ago
The website was super easy and clear to use, and I was matched with a man with a van very quickly. Communication between people at find my man and van and also with the driver himself was seamless :) will be using again!
Amy
5 star trustpilot
1 day ago
The guys were really friendly and were quick at getting the job done. Definitely worth the money and would hire them again.
Matthew Eason
5 star trustpilot
1 day ago
The 2 young men were hard working and so very helpful took good care of my home move contents they made my move stress free thankyou young men I will highly recommend you 😀
Margaret Wilkinson
Moving Services
Removal Van Hire Company Logo

Man & Van

Your booked items (within the maximum capacity of the van chosen) with any van size.
Pickup is within an hourly time slot, delivery straight from pickup.


Flat Move

Long-wheel base transit or Luton van (your choice).
Pickup is within an hourly time slot, delivery straight from pickup, and you get the whole van for your move.


House Move

Suitable for house or bungalow moves, you get the largest van size - Luton van.
Pickup is within an hourly time slot, delivery straight from pickup, and you get the whole van for your move.